Category Archives for "Coach Nancy"

Here’s my challenge to you today.

Be grateful, and then put some action behind that gratitude.

Maybe on today it is as simple as saying thank-you, or paying for the Dunkins for the man or woman in line ahead of you in line. I think that is something I should start doing everyday, not just in November.

Don’t just let this day pass you by, let’s make something good happen today.

Let’s give someone else a reason to be thankful – promise?

Thank-You.

Coach Nancy

Who Can You Thank Today?

Seems really hard to believe that another holiday season is upon us, but I am glad it is. I think Thanksgiving might be my very favorite holiday. Not because Christmas isn’t fun but because it is generally pretty laid back and relaxing.

This time of year there are a lot of ideas out there about gratitude and thankfulness. An “attitude of gratitude” is much more productive than being a selfish, self-centered, well, whatever. But don’t keep it to yourself. Open your mouth and express gratitude too.

All the 12 year olds out there reading this might be surprised, but the world doesn’t revolve around you. Your mom loves you, but she probably isn’t laying her head on the pillow at night thinking “Oh goody, I get to do more laundry tomorrow, and I sure hope little Jimmy doesn’t volunteer to put the dishes in the dishwasher, because then I will get to do it instead!”

But do we adults act any different? I know I don’t all the time. I often find myself taking a lot of what happens around me for granted. I walk to work every day. I drive a car to the store when I need to go. I food in the house so the kids can eat breakfast. I have it better than 99.9% of the world, and yet if someone cuts me off in traffic am I more likely to let it roll, or try to roll over him? Do I take half a millisecond to consider what he might be going through, or that people make mistakes, or do I just go off? Kinda silly to think so little can get us so worked up, isn’t it?

I have also found that a little more kindness and a little more gratitude, and a little less “gotta have my way” goes a long way. You know the old saying “familiarity breeds contempt”? Does that ever creep into your life like it does mine? What is it if not contempt to walk by someone every day and not acknowledge they exist? 

Being kind is free. It doesn’t cost money to smile. It doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to say “thank-you” to the barista. Yeah I know they are getting paid to do a job, but so what? Don’t we all need a little more appreciation? Talk to the check-out person. Nicely. You might be the only person who does so all day.

Don’t keep your gratitude to yourself. You have incredible power. You might change someone’s life by telling them how much you appreciate them.

But even better you might change your own life.

And that’s something to be thankful for.

So Thank-You.

If you are reading this in some way, shape or form you are part of the Cr8 family.

Of my family.

And for that I am blessed indeed.

Enjoy the Best Day Ever.

Coach Nancy

Today is one of those training day at Cr8 Fitness that we dream up tricks of all kinds and then add in a few treats for kicks. RockStar Chris has been experimenting with Rocky Road UMP. She Cr8 -ed Bon Bons that will knock those Halloween socks right off .

Chris' Bon Bons

• 2 scoops Rocky Road UMP (protein powder from Beverly International)
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 10 Mejoul Dates
• 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 Tablespoon flax seed
• 2 Tablespoon cacoa nibs
• Water as needed
• coconut for rolling

Place all ingredients except water and coconut in a food processor. Pulse until mixed and chopped. Slowly add in water until it is chunky. Roll into 1 inch balls and then into flaked coconut if desired. Put in the freezer. Makes 35 1- inch balls

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 1 scoop vanilla UMP (from Beverly International)
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 8 ounce water
• ice

Place all ingredients in a blender. Mix throughly. Enjoy. 

What a great combination of tricks and treats today. 

Enjoy good food,

Coach Nancy

I'm passing out all my secrets in this post. I love my crockpot. I believe I could use it every day. And the best combination to go with my crockpot is Freezer Meals. This is how it works. 

Head to the store and grab everything you need for these 5 recipes below including the Ziplock bags. When you get home instead of unloading them into your fridge, freezer, cupboard, or shelves. Pack each recipe in a Ziplock bag and Voila. You now have 5 meals to add to your freezer and then to the crockpot. All the work is done, right after the store. 

Cashew Chicken:

• 2-3 pounds chicken breast (depending on how much chicken you want)
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ c coconut aminos
• ½ c apple cider vinegar
• ¼ c ketchup
• 1 tsp ginger
• ½ c cashews (add when ready to serve)
• 1 Tablespoon oil (coconut or olive, to grease the slow cooker)

Add all ingredients to a Ziplock bag or freezer container. Write on bag: thaw slightly and put in slow cooker on low 4-6 hours. Add cashews and serve.

Chicken Balsamic

• 3 pounds chicken breasts
• 28 oz tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic diced
• ¾ c balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons oil (coconut or olive)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Add all ingredients to a Ziplock bag or freezer container. Write on bag: thaw slightly, cook on low 4-6 hours.

Thai-ish chicken wings

• 2- 2 ½ pounds chicken wings
• ½ c salsa
• ¼ c almond butter
• 3 T lime juice
• 3 T coconut aminos
• 3 T water
• 3 T ginger
• 4 cloves garlic diced

Add all ingredients to a Ziplock bag or freezer container. Write on bag: thaw slightly, cook on low 6-8 hours.

Italian Sausage

• 2 pounds Italian sausage links
• 2 large green peppers
• 2 onions
• 4 c diced tomatoes
• 1 T onion powder
• 1 T garlic powder

Add all ingredients to a Ziplock bag or freezer container. Write on bag: Cook on low 6 hours.

*This recipe is great on top of a spaghetti squash!

Beef Stew

• 2 pounds beef stew meat or deer meat
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 ½ c tomato juice
• 4 cloves garlic diced
• 1 pound carrots
• 1 bunch celery chopped
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a ziplock bag or freezer container. Write on bag: add 3-4 sweet potatoes, cubed (optional) and cook on low 8-9 hours.

You have my secret to fast meal prep. Great food in a crockpot. 

Enjoy Good Food,

Coach Nancy

P.S. One thing I have found, is many times I will give these meals away to friends who need a quick meal due to a family issue or a personal challenge. They love it like I do. They can make it when they need it most.

One of the easiest, fastest ways to prepare a meal on a chilly Fall day is Chicken Enchilada Soup in the Crockpot. There is little to no chopping or cleaning of veggies. There is a few cans to open and spices to mix in. BAM- great tasting soup. 

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

• 1 onion, chopped (I use the frozen chopped onion)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
• 1 – 2 teaspoons of Chipolte chili in adobo sauce (you can add more if you like the heat)
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped or 2 Tablespoons dried cilantro
• 1 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 14.5 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 3 skinless chicken breast (I use frozen chicken breast)

Pick your favorite for garnish:

scallions, chopped cilantro, cheddar cheese, jalepenos, avocado slices, black bean dip, or salsa

To make the soup.

Add the ingredients, except the garnish, to a crock pot in the order listed after with the onion. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Using two forks, shred the chicken. Adjust the seasonings. Serve in bowls and top with your favorite garnish. Serves 6.

BAM, Great food fixed simply,

Coach Nancy

Time saver is one of the best things I like about the crockpot. Another is the fact that I can place frozen items into the crockpot. I often make an entire meal in a freezer bag. Then I can store it in my freezer for days when I have time to eat but not all the time to prepare my food. I simply peal off the Ziploc bag and place the frozen meal in the crockpot. Cooking it on low for 8 - 10 hours is perfect for coming home to a hot dinner. 

​

Chicken Cacciatore

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces 
• 1 cup mushroom, sliced (fresh, frozen or canned) 
• 1 cup green peppers, sliced (fresh or frozen) 
• 1 cup onions, chopped (fresh or frozen) 
• 1 large garlic clove, minced 
• 1 Tablespoon canned tomato paste 
• 14 1/2 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided 
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

Place chicken in a 3- to 5-quart slow cooker. Add mushrooms, green pepper, onion, garlic, tomato paste, tomatoes and juice, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Cover slow cooker; cook on high heat for 5 to 6 hours or on low heat for 6 to 8 hours. Taste just before serving and add remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt if necessary. 

Enjoy Good Food,

Coach Nancy

I was just introduced to Quince this year. I love how beautiful this fruit is. I also love how beautiful the sauce that is made from quince turns out. I've made two batches of quince sauce this Fall. I did the first batch traditionally on the stove top. The second batch I used my crockpot. Both made great sauce and left the house smelling amazing for hours. I didn't have to watch the crockpot batch as closely for burning, which is helpful when you get busy. 

Quince Sauce 

• 2 cups water
• 1 pound quinces - peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 1 pound apples - peeled, cored and chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar

Everything goes in the crockpot except the sugar. I don't typically use a lot of sugar and if you have ever tried quince alone you'll know you need some in order to take out some of the tartness. I use less sugar by adding in the apples to this recipe. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Stir occasionally to help mash the fruit. Add only as much sugar as you need up to 1/2 cup. It will depend on your apples. It's that easy. 

Enjoy Good Food,

Coach Nancy

I captured Lauren, literally, to grab her thoughts on the nutrition challenges she has participated in the past. She was super happy to be held hostage for a few minutes after training to talk. I love hearing why others want to do our Transform in 4 Challenge coming up on November 1st. I want to feel in control of my eating before the holidays. Thank you Lauren for telling us why you want to do this next challenge. 

Thank you Lauren. Take a tip from Lauren and Sign up for the next challenge- Transform in 4.

Happy Challenging,

Coach Nancy

Meals that are simple to prepare are my favorite. This is one of those. A whole chicken can cook all day while you're working on other things. Then use the chicken as is or add in another recipe that needs cooked chicken. This is a one ingredient recipe. What could be simpler then that? 

Crockpot Whole Chicken

• 1 Whole Chicken

Place it in the crockpot, add salt and pepper if you want. Cook on low 6-8 hours. This is fall off the bone goodness.

Enjoy good food,

Coach Nancy

This morning Lisa from the 6:15 brought in two beautiful bouquets of Kale. She was sharing her garden's bounty. I am a fan of Kale. After making Kale chips I used the rest to make a double batch of Minestrone Soup. What didn't fit in my crockpot is simmering on the stove- Wow does it smell good. 

Minestrone Soup in the Crockpot

Serves 10-12

• 2 cups cannelloni beans or other favorite white beans
• 10 cups chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and diced
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1 28- ounce can crushed tomato
• 2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 ½ cups diced zucchini
• 1 lb. kale (remove the stems and chop coarsely)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Place Cannelloni beans and the chicken stock in a crockpot. Heat a large frying pan add the oil, garlic, carrots, onions, and celery. Saute until tender and add to the pot. Add the tomato, potatoes, parsley, and the basil. Cook for 4-6 hours on high. Add the zucchini, kale. Cook 30 minutes more or until the soup is nice and thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

I can't wait for tonight. 

Happy CrockTober,

Coach Nancy